I've never had the VIP, but it seems I remember reading somewhere that, yes, it has to be plugged in for the tuner to come on. Then again, it could have been another preamp I was reading about, but what you are describing was indeed normal in that case. So there.. now you can at least feel part better about it until someone comes along and shows me wrong.. then you can go back to feeling full bad again.

The guitar came with a case and key,no plug or paper work,not surprising since it came from guitar center,I found a plug in one of my other Adamas cases and it does the trick.I'll join the chorus for one round "What were they thinking" I believe this was during the fender days so we all know that they weren't thinking.
I wish it had come with the brochure for the VIP preamp I'd like to know what the different imaging setting are supposed to emulate?

It says on page 2 "In fact, we used some of the world's best microphones to record your guitar model, then created a digital algorithm that transforms the piezo saddle pickup's signal into an 'image' of the recorded sound"

OvationTribute also quote the Ovation website (of the time) as saying "Utilizing advanced imaging technology, the VIP-5 reproduces the sound of your guitar as if it were recorded in a state of the art recording studio with the finest microphones"

I don't have any different documentation for my 2080 VIP preamp but I recollect that the images are not all of the 2080 but also includes several other models. But that's from memory which could be faulty. There is a sticker on the preamp module that says "SET 4" but no other detail.

That's right, there are different Set's with different sounds for the guitars which were sold with the VIP-preamp. I'm sure you can find that here in an archive. Otherwise send me a PM and I'll send you that sheet.

I found a thread in the 2007 archives that lists the different sets for the different models it was put it,interesting that they did images specific to each type of guitar it was to be used on I thought it would be the same set for all VIP's the more you read on here the more you learn.I haven't plugged it in yet but acoustically it has a huge sound with lots of lows

Thanks OMA. I'd forgotten that my '07BCS came with a VIP. I replaced it with the OpPro Studio and liked it a lot better. The 2080 has a VIP and it does a good job, though I don't know what the different models are.

I've been running my Adamas Viper through a Zoom AC-2, which is the same kind of concept as the VIP. It sounds as good as the 2080 or 1537!